Using Commercial Beer Bottles

[Phoenix]

Hi Everyone,

This here is my first post so a big HELLO to everyone.

I have searched these forums for 'bottles' in an attempt to understand the (re)use of commercial beer bottles for home brew. But I found nothing answering my question. So onto my post.

Is it okay to re-use commercial beer bottles (specifically Beck's bottles)? I ask for a couple of reasons:
1) I read somewhere that you should not reuse such bottles as they're not designed for that.
2) However I've seen and heard of others using such bottles (not sure from which beer though).
3) On the base of my Beck's bottles I notice the embossed words, "NO REFILL".

So what is the verdict? Can you use commercial beer bottles? Can I use my Becks bottles? If not, what characteristics do I need to check for in a bottle for it to be usable (other than crown caps?)?

Look forward to reading your responses.

(Disclaimer: Yes I'm new to this. Brought my first home brew kit on the week-end, and have the brew on now. The kit came with plastic bottles, so it's not for this brew, but for in the future.)

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

Short answer...yes

You can even use threaded top crown seal bottles if you have a good bench capper, so if it came with beer in it you can use it :beer:

PZ.

 

[bottlerocket]

phoenix
i reuse crown seal bottles like becks with no probs
i even use longnecks with twist tops ok
glass is thinner but i havnt had a bomb yet
those pet bottles are pretty good for beer that you will drink fairly quick,just not for long storage

 

[Phoenix]

Cheers guys.

So I guess the reason for not using them is the one you mentioned bottlerocket. That being they're fairly thin and thereby they might EXPLODE! hmmm... But hopefully as long as I check the SG I should be safe from that - well, assuming I know which SG means it's all done (but anyway).

 

[Uncle Fester]

Pheonix,

Welcome to the forum, and welcome to the obsession. Good to see another representative from the ACT.

The only bottles that I have heard of that were a little on the shaky side for homebrewing, were one style of Carlton Crown bottles, that had writing embossed on the neck. For some reason it appeared to weaken the neck, and they were prone to breaking.

I hope you realise what you are getting into!

M


[edit - sp]

 

[Phoenix]

hmmm... just thought of something though. The Beck's bottles are only 330ml, and my kit came with carbonation drops, and they seemed like a good idea. HOWEVER, they say one 'drop' for 375ml bottles, so potentially one drop would be too much for the 330ml bottles...hmmm... maybe I need to go and look for some 375ml bottles.

As for knowing what I'm getting myself into. Not really sure yet, but so far it's all fun and interesting. Guess I wont really know until I get to taste my first beer - just in time for Chrissy.

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

Bulk priming will get you around the bottle volume issue (a search will yield instant results).

However...for somebody that hasn't even tasted his first brew yet it may seem a bit too much trouble...I know I never bothered :lol:

Maybe for now just collect leftover bottles from pissups and parties :beerbang:

PZ.

 

[sluggerdog]

Pheonix - Welcome!~

I use becks and corona bottles when I have take-aways, no drama's what-so-ever.

Even when I come home with take-a-ways I have found them at the bottom of the fridge 4 months later, still great.

Aslong as they are pop tops and not twisties then there's no dramas.

 

[Jazman]

phoenix time to learn to bilk prime as it wont matter what size bottles u use then

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

Is there an echo in here? :lol:

 

[Uncle Fester]

hmmm... just thought of something though. The Beck's bottles are only 330ml, and my kit came with carbonation drops, and they seemed like a good idea. HOWEVER, they say one 'drop' for 375ml bottles, so potentially one drop would be too much for the 330ml bottles...hmmm... maybe I need to go and look for some 375ml bottles.

As for knowing what I'm getting myself into. Not really sure yet, but so far it's all fun and interesting. Guess I wont really know until I get to taste my first beer - just in time for Chrissy.

[post="93959"][/post]​

I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it..... Only 10% difference..... I would be more concerned about ensuring that the fermentation had completed prior to bottling.

2 SG readings the same over 2 days, at or about 1010 (differs with the kind of beer you are making). My guess is that it is the pack that came with your kit... Cooper Lager???

M

 

[Phoenix]

Bulk priming... hmmm.. I've read a little on that, but I will search these here forums and read some more on it. Seemed a bit of effort at last read, but I'll read again.

2 SG readings the same over 2 days, at or about 1010 (differs with the kind of beer you are making). My guess is that it is the pack that came with your kit... Cooper Lager???

[post="93994"][/post]​

The kit was a Morgans kit and as such came with 'Morgans Australian Lager'. The kit also included what I found to be some good instructions. In these instructions (like in other threads on this forum) they advised against taking multiple samples - because of potential infection. They instructed to take only one sample just before bottling to ensure that the SG is at 1004, and only then to bottle.

Now that has obviously two problems:
1. It is specific (as you touched on) to that beer mix; and
2. What if it's not that SG, I'll obviously have to wait and take another the next day.

Anyway, I guess discussing SG measurements is taking this off topic, and from what I've seen of those other threads (on taking measurements) the opinions are wide and varied, so I'll leave that there and go and read over the other threads/debates again.

As for the thread, I guess I could summarise it such:
- It's fine to use commercial beer bottles for home brew pretty much regardless of type (but the more solid the better). If using odd sized bottles then priming can be simplified through the use of bulk priming.

Cheers guys, it's been great reading the replies.

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

Bulk priming made easy:
http://www.grumpys.com.au/m1.php3?manualid=13

PZ.

 

[sluggerdog]

Phoenix, I wouldn't be waiting for the gravity to get to 1004, this is pretty rare, my first brew I got to 1005 and this was mainly to do with a kit + dextrose and high fermenting temps.

I'd Just take 2 samples, one when you think it's done and one the next day to make sure it's stopped/finished.

 

[Boozy the clown]

I use one carb drop in my 330ml bottles and havent had a prob to date (touch wood) I use two drops in my 440ml grolsch bottles but make a point of drinking them first and use them as a guide for carbonation (which actually doesnt make much sense as they are over primed!)

So far champagne bottles have worked a treat for me. They can stand huge pressures and the only prob i have had is when i have used (or over used) honey in a brew. The hone seems to ferment out over a much slower period of time, thus causing futher gassing up.

No bottles popping to date (touch wood again) but two or three have forced a leak. No worries for that, dont tell the missus there is sticky beer on the carpet, chill it and drink it pronto. (but when they gas up like that beware of the monster head and let let bugger calm down before you drink it, that or compare it to an Eno!)
h34r: :beerbang:

 

[Phoenix]

Bulk priming made easy:
http://www.grumpys.com.au/m1.php3?manualid=13

PZ.

[post="94018"][/post]​

Looks like you have to also do racking first:
http://www.grumpys.com.au/m1.php3?manualid=14

An extra 3-5 days. :unsure:

Phoenix, I wouldn't be waiting for the gravity to get to 1004, this is pretty rare, my first brew I got to 1005 and this was mainly to do with a kit + dextrose and high fermenting temps.

I'd Just take 2 samples, one when you think it's done and one the next day to make sure it's stopped/finished.

[post="94021"][/post]​

Oops. Just checked the instructions again, and they say 1005 (apparently started around 1040). Don't know where I got the 1004 from. :blink:

 

[Phoenix]

I use one carb drop in my 330ml bottles and havent had a prob to date (touch wood)

[post="94022"][/post]​

Thanks for the info mate, that sounds tempting now. If some 'clown' has done it, then how bad can it be.

Do they ever seem over carbonated? As in do they ever seem like they're about to blow? :blink:

 

[Boozy the clown]

Its not a 'must do' to rack or bulk prime. Racking cuts down on the amount of sediment in your beer, i didnt do it for my first few brews and well, i was just excited to be drinking niceish HB at the time and didnt care.

I Havent bulk primed yet, i'm not as cluey as these others brewers and at this stage i still buy the overpriced coopers carb drops, so far they have been ok for me, just costly in the sceme of things.

I suggest you get yourself champers bottles, other would say get into kegging, but for a begginner champers bottles may be forgiving

 

[Phoenix]

Champers bottles sound interesting (other than I don't drink the stuff), but what do you cap them with? Or have I got it all wrong, are you corking them? :blink:

 

[Boozy the clown]

My 330 bottles have never seemed over gassed, but these do tend to be the ones i drink first of a batch and i keep the champers bottles to shelve.

You cap champers bottles, need bigger 'tirage' caps and matching bell end for the bench capper. Champagne is two stage fermented, first with the caps, then they release, take out sediment, then they cork.

Good for us, we, (well me) just cap the once. Nice looking bottles, strong as all buggery. Champagne is stored under higher pressures than beer. Those bottles take some punishment.